Congress has strayed from Shastri’s path of probity, says grandson

IT professional-turned-AAP leader Adarsh Shastri today lamented that Congress has “strayed” from the path of simplicity and probity as exemplified by his grandfather and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.

“I joined AAP, giving up a lucrative career in an MNC, as I came across it as the only party practising what Shastriji professed. He has been my idol.

“But unfortunately, Congress with which he remained associated all through his life seems to have lost all respect for values like simplicity and probity in public life which the late Premier epitomised,” Shastri, who is AAP candidate from Allahabad, said.

To a query about his father Anil Shastri’s continuance in Congress, he said, “He must be having his own reasons to do so. In fact, after I decided to join AAP, he did bring up the issue of our family’s old loyalty towards Congress and I then asked him where is the Congress of Shastriji today?

“I have immense respect for my father who, like Shastriji, believes in simplicity and probity. And I need to say nothing more than had the Congress not abandoned its old values, my father would not been sidelined in the party,” Shastri said.

He was also critical of Congress having fielded a person with BJP background and “tainted image” against Narendra Modi in Varanasi with just an eye on vote bank politics. Congress has fielded local MLA Ajay Rai in Varanasi.